SA-SIG Editor: Colin Plen [email protected] http://www.jewishgen.org/SAfrica/ Southern African Jewish Genealogy Special Interest Group Newsletter Vol. 9, Issue 4 June 2009 In this Issue President’s Message – Saul Issroff 2 Editorial – Colin Plen 3 A Visit to the Pioneers’ Memorial Museum in Port Elizabeth – Maurice Skikne 4 Cemetery Photography – Colin Plen 5 The Encyclopedia of Jewish Latvia – Gary Feitelberg 6 Interesting Research – Ann Rabinowitz 8 Western Cape Genealogical Societies – Elmien Wood 8 The Meanings of Surnames – Colin Plen 9 Editor’s Musings 11 Letters to the Editor 12 © 2009 SA-SIG. All articles are copyright and are not to be copied or reprinted without the permission of the author. The contents of the articles contain the opinions of the authors and do not reflect those of the Editor, or of the members of the SA-SIG Board. The Editor has the right to accept or reject any material submitted, or edit as might be appropriate. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The Southern Africa Jewish Genealogy Whilst preparing a Jewish Genealogy talk for a LIMUD session next weekend, I started thinking Special Interest Group (SA-SIG) again about ‘why do we do genealogy?’ I reminded The purpose and goal of the Southern Africa Special myself about a quote from Vera Weizmann, wife of Interest Group (SA-SIG) is to bring together Jewish Chaim, along the lines of: “... many Jews have no genealogy researchers with a common interest in Southern difficulty in remembering and commemorating the Africa and to provide a forum for a free exchange of ideas, fall of the second Temple or Masada but have research tips and information of interest to those researching Jewish family history in the communities of difficulty in remembering their great grandparents South Africa, Lesotho (Basutoland), Botswana and where they originated from”. [I can’t trace the (Bechuanaland), Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia), Zambia original of this, if anyone has it please send to me]. (Northern Rhodesia), Swaziland, Mozambique, Kenya, and the former Belgian Congo. For me, genealogy has been a tool for understanding The SIG has been producing a quarterly Newsletter since my personal and family background, the vast array 2000 in which is included articles on personalities in the of little bits of family history that come to light and Southern African Jewish community, religious make up the complexity of any of us and our congregations, communities – past and present and general origins. Genealogy has drawn me to study South news about the lives our Southern African families led. African history both in a general and a local level. Further information on how to subscribe to the Newsletter Some years ago I took a course on Russian Jewish can be found at: history (much of which still defeats me!). Another http://www.jewishgen.org/SAfrica/newsletter/index.htm of my minor forays has been into military history, after discovering that a great uncle was in the If you would like to contribute articles to the Newsletter, accounts should include descriptions of families of the Pioneer Labour Corps., and was invalided out of the community, aspects of local Jewish life, its institutions and army after a mustard gas attack in WW1. Although particular character. Jewish involvement in the community he died of ‘injuries inflicted in the Great War’ his at large, its history, business life and development could be grave is not classed as a war grave, as he died after featured as well. the cut-off point (1923?) in 1924. Articles for printing in the Newsletter should be sent to Colin Plen, Editor, at [email protected] Saul Issroff General enquiries about the Newsletter can be sent either London, [email protected] to Colin or to Mike Getz at [email protected] Editor’s Note: Saul has recently been appointed to The SA-SIG maintains a set of Web Pages that can be the re-energized JewishGen Board of Governors, found at: http://www.jewishgen.org/safrica whose major responsibility will be to focus on long- SA-SIG Board term planning for the organization. Full details can be seen in the June 1, 2009 press release at: President Saul Issroff Vice-President Roy Ogus http://www.jewishgen.org/JewishGen/pr/ Treasurer & Vice-President Emeritus Mike Getz Press_Release.2009.06.01.BoG.htm Newsletter Editor Colin Plen Layout Roy Ogus Australian Coordinator Herbert Epstein Canadian Coordinator Ed Goldberg Israel Coordinators Rose Lerer Cohen, Beryl Baleson South African Coordinators Stan Hart (Durban), Colin Plen (Cape Town) USA Coordinators Roy Ogus, Ann Rabinowitz Membership Mike Getz Webmaster Roger Harris SA-SIG Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 4, June 2009 Page 2 EDITORIAL can come about. The week of the 22nd May to the 29th is Archives week and Elmien and her group are It is very exciting for me to be able to write my first encouraging students of family trees to use the Editorial. All sorts of things I must write about keep archives available in Cape Town. Sorry that you popping into my mind. will only be told this in July!! This month we have a lovely article about Mo High on my Wish List in my life is to be able to Skikne’s visit to the Pioneers’ Memorial Museum in attend a conference such as the Philly one. I have Port Elizabeth. I have a close relationship with Mo only attended one, in London, and it remains a from the time when we worked together on the special memory. I wish that in August I could Jewish Genealogical Society Johannesburg. Mo was somehow suddenly appear in Philadelphia and meet the Editor of our newsletter and he took over as some of the people and hear many of the unique Chairman of the Society when I left Johannesburg talks that come up at an International Genealogical for Cape Town. I am very sad that the JGSJ has Conference. almost ceased functioning since most of the venues in the area have seriously increased their charges. Colin Plen Beyachad, who used to charge us a nominal R100, Editor or nothing, at times, now demand R1000 for a Cape Town, South Africa meeting, which is a ridiculously high figure for a [email protected] meeting where 30 people pay R15 for their tea. Prior to my appointment on the SA-SIG as editor, I wrote and submitted to Saul and Bubbles an article on Cemetery Photography. I am publishing this article this month. I am involved in photographing the headstones of Jewish graves in Cape Town and this article gives some of the detail. Members of my family make comments like: At least the stones stand still. But on the other hand, I prefer my subjects to smile. Gary Feitelberg has written some very interesting articles. The first one I am using is an announcement of the writing of an Encyclopaedia of Jewish Latvia. The last time information on the subject was collected was more than 100 years ago and since then of course Latvia has seen some of its greatest years and its total demise. Ann Rabinowitz is a prolific writer and Internet studier of genealogy. I am convinced that she must be on a computer all day every day. In this short article I culled from her email, she talks about an entry in the 1901 British census with South African connections. There has been talk for years, and there have been many attempts to start a Family History and/or Genealogical Society for Jews in Cape Town. No progress has been made in this regard but interestingly a larger group is in the process of being formed in the Western Cape area. We have included the memo from Elmien Wood discussing how a large combined group of interested parties SA-SIG Newsletter, Vol. 9, Issue 4, June 2009 Page 3 A VISIT TO THE PIONEERS’ The Western Road shul preceded this one, being opened in 1887 and was closed up in 1958. This MEMORIAL MUSEUM IN THE shul had an English style congregation and its last RALEIGH STREET SHUL, PORT spiritual leader was one Rev Levy who won public ELIZABETH fame in a case, concerning the Greyshirt, Nazi type movement, in the mid 1930’s (see below). A Maurice Skikne leading architect, Orlando Middleton, designed the Raleigh Street Shul, with the Kohler brothers the building contractors. The design is predominantly Art Nouveau, with turrets and keyhole windows influenced by the Byzantine style designs. Following its close in 1954, the Port Elizabeth Orthodox Congregation and the Western Road Hebrew Congregation amalgamated to form the Glendinningvale Synagogue, which until now is the leading one in this very likeable city. The museum retains all its furniture and fittings, which are absolutely magnificent to see. However, the star items are the magnificent collections of photographs and Judaic articles, and printed articles I had occasion to visit this delightful community and letters on display. These are grouped into history display in the old Raleigh Street Shul, now Wedding photos, and Beautiful Ketubas; Jewish unused as a place of devotion, as all the residents Mayors and city councilors; famous PE Jewish had moved away or were in “Yenem Veldt” (the dignitaries and people. There is a photographic Other World). My eldest offspring, Janice display of Military personnel who served in both Mendelowitz and family had moved to this World Wars, as well as memorials to those who fell. delightful city in 2007, where her husband Geoff In one of the upper galleries is a large collection of runs the Eastern Cape branch of his civil images of the Rabbis and Chazzans who have engineering consultancy. served the cities’ congregations.